Last week, Rhodes Mezzanine hosted an intimate soiree to celebrate its fifth anniversary. As the first venture of Michelin-starred celebrity chef Gary Rhodes OBE in the region, the restaurant was opened in Dubai’s Grosvenor House and offers traditional British cuisine with a French twist.

Five years later, the restaurant still looks as pristine and chic as it did when it first opened. The cool white interiors and glass features create a refreshing yet luxurious environment; a simple elegant backdrop to allow your senses to focus on the food and prepare your mental pallet for the exquisite gastronomical experience that lies ahead.

An impressive array of tasting dishes were showcased during the evening. A delicious mushroom strudel accompanied by a tongue-tingling mushroom foam played nicely on tastes and textures. Salmon with Scallops covered in a ginger butter sauce was rich and creamy. Finally, an ox-tail wrapped in a sheet of pasta was conveniently presented on a stick.

The theme of raspberry and lemon ran through the dessert selection starting with an exquisite miniature crumpet made with a hint of lemon and topped with a tangy raspberry sauce – a fine crumpet indeed that would put any British tea shop to shame.
Another quintessentially British dessert followed in the shape of Gary Rhodes’ signature bread and butter pudding which tantalized the taste buds with a hint of spice. However, our haute dessert of the night was the creamy, melt-in-your-mouth lemon cheesecake also served with a raspberry sauce, by far our favorite.

Known to be a hands-on chef, we caught up with Gary Rhodes himself as he emerged from the kitchen in his chef’s whites at the end of the event.

Gary, congratulations on five successful years in Dubai, you must be so proud!

Yes, its been great. This was my first restaurant here and since then I have also opened Rhodes Twenty10 in Le Royal Meridien… I just love the region, I love Dubai, I am so happy to be here. 5 years have flown by so fast and we hope to be here for another 5 or 10 more even!

We heard a rumour that you’re expanding within the region. Tell us about your first venture in Abu Dhabi.

Yes, we are opening in the Corniche at the new St Regis Hotel that they are building there. We are all set to go and are probably looking to open in January. We are very excited! The UAE is becoming such a central culinary point in the world with so many great chefs and great food to offer. We feel privileged to be a part of what’s happening.

We wish Gary all the best for his new restaurant and a big congratulations for the 5 year anniversary of Rhodes Mezzanine!